About this collection

When the Pleasant Hill Weekly Leader sent out its first issue on May 14, 1869, it felt “slightly rebellious” about the longstanding tradition of new journals “delivering an editorial inaugural” and thought that “Here we are” should really be sufficient introduction. However, since custom demanded a more detailed discussion, the Leader went on to proclaim that when “politics demand attention, the Leader will be found in the ranks of Republicanism” but it had no intent to make a “speciality” of politics, preferring to devote space to “local, commercial, educational, or agricultural matters.” On March 28, 1873, Editor Charles Bowman announced the final issue of the Leader and demanded that everyone settle their accounts since he and his press were headed to Colorado to start the Las Animas Leader.